Heaven was missing an Angel
by LyanaDavid
Summary: A little innocent being arrived on Earth, bringing a small ray of light in this somber day, when another wonderful person had to quit that world. Now a multichapter, but the first chapter can be read as a one-shot.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my first attempt to write a fanfiction in english so I wanna say a huuuuuge thanks to April who read the story and corrected my mistakes. I hope you'll enjoy it. It's a pretty sad story, but I had to write it, the idea wouldn't leave me alone... Please, let me know what you think.**_

_**Lyana**_

Through the window in the small, cold room, enlightened by the bright white glow of the neon's, Gibbs was watching the young woman who was fighting for her life and his heart was aching at the struggle she put forth.

It was combat lost in advance, according to the doctors. They were positive. She had hung on as long as she could, even above all odds. She was lying on that bed, looking so fragile and lost in the middle of all these tubes that were keeping her alive.

The black of her air was contrasting over the white of the sheets, making a dark halo around her pale features. She looked so peaceful. Without the tube in her throat helping her to breathe and the monitor testifying that she was still alive, one would believe that she was asleep. Beside her was Anthony DiNozzo.The young man had no rest since he received the fateful call. A drunk driver had just shattered his life, taking away the woman he loved.

When they arrived at the hospital, she was in surgery. Together, the entire team had waited, worried sick, hoping to learn something about her condition. Abby was crying loudly, snuggled in Tim's arms, who was also trying to keep his emotion under control. Tony was pacing in the waiting room, taking his anger and fears out on anyone who was trying to talk to him. Gibbs was still, looking straight ahead of him, an indescribable look on his face. Jenny was beside him and she had slipped her hand in his, seeking for comfort in the familiar touch. The doctor appeared, his tired features showing that he had bad news.

"We did all we could, however the brain damage was too significant. She's stable for now, but her scan doesn't show any signs of cerebral activity. Frankly, it is a miracle that she survived as long as she did" The doctor advised them in a compassionate tone, and went on "She's a fighter; she has evidently been holding on for the child. who by the way is fine. It's a little girl and she's perfect", he finished soberly.

The doctor moved to the side, letting space for a nurse who walked toward them and handed the child to Tony, who hadn't said a word until then. Tears streaming down his face, the young Italian carefully took the child, cradling her protectively in his arms, staring in the deep dark eyes of the little girl. Her mother's eye, he thought. Ziva. He had to see her.

"Where is she? I want to see her" he said to the doctor on a firm tone allowing no room for objection.

As he was about to protest, the man in the blue scrubs met the icy gaze of Gibbs and waved the little group to follow him. He had leaded them to the intensive care unit before leaving them behind the window of the room where their colleague and friend was laying. He added that they could go inside one at the time before giving them some privacy.

They were still there, a few hours later. Gibbs had taken Jenny in his arms when she got out of the room a little while before. She wasn't able to stop her tears. Seeing the one, once so full of life, who saved her life, now laying there, broken and vulnerable on this hospital bed was unbearable. The ex-marine was trying to comfort her, gently stroking her air in a calming motion, but he himself had a hard time containing his rage at seeing the one he thought of as a daughter suffering like this when he could do nothing about it. They each had a few moments alone with her and now, Tony was back at her side. The doctor was with him. Gibbs saw his agent moving in his way.

"I'll be back when everything is finished. He needs me, he'll need every one of us", he whispered to Jenny, loosening his grip.

"Go, and tell her goodbye for us", she answered softly, wiping her tears. "I'll be with Tim, Abby and Ducky" she added, lightly moving her head toward the rest of the team that was standing not far from them.

Gibbs came close to the broken member of his team and carefully took her hand in his. He put a light kiss on her forehead before saying softly in her ear:

"Semper Fi, Officer David. I'll always owe you Ziva and I'll look after them, I promise. You'll have good company up there and here, we'll take care of them. We'll miss you, you know."

He took a few steps back and stood beside Tony, his eyes clouded with emotion and a lump in his throat. Tears were still going down the young man cheeks and crashing down on the blanket wrapped around a little being full of life. The doctor approached the young woman and was about to turn off the respirator when weakly, Tony interrupted him:

"Wait, please. Just a moment"

The doctor retreated a little bit, giving Tony some space near to the young Israeli's bed. He moved toward her, holding in his arms their little girl who was now fully awake. He sat on the bed and held onto the unconscious woman's hand. He carefully lifted it, intertwining their fingers before stroking gently the soft hairs covering the child head and tracing her delicate features.

"Ziva David, please meet Allyson Ziva DiNozzo. She's a fighter, just like her Mommy. She hold on and thanks to you, I can hold her in my arms. She's beautiful. She looks so very much like you. I'll miss you, my angel. I swear that she'll never forget her mommy; I'll never forget her mommy. I promise, Ziva. You can let go know, she's safe. I love you."

His shoulders shaking from the sobs, he backed up lightly, without letting go his fiancée's hand, stroking her palm with his thumb. He nodded to the doctors who silently turned off the machines which were keeping her broken body alive. Quickly, the regular beep of the heart monitor slowed to finally became a long straight sound. A nurse turned it off and the room was filed by a pregnant silence which was only disturbed by the muffled sobs escaping from the young Italian. He sensed his superior put a comforting hand on his shoulder hand left his eyes to met Gibbs', silently begging him to tell him that it was a nightmare.

"It'll be okay, Tony. It'll be hard, but everything will be okay," he said on a reassuring tone. "You'll have to move on, for her," he continued, letting his gaze fall upon on the soft face with big deep dark eyes who was watching them intently.

They stayed like that, at the side of the young woman who changed their lives and who was now so abruptly taken away from them. A little innocent being arrived on Earth, bringing a small ray of light in this somber day, when another wonderful person had to quit that world. _Heaven was missing an angel,_ Gibbs thought, leaving the room, supporting a young man who was tore apart between the joy of holding in his arm the child he had expected so much and the hurt of the loss of the woman who was making his heart beat. They left behind them the lifeless body of the young Israeli with the rabbi who would make sure that here, among her family, she would be buried according to the belief she cherished.

**_The End_**

**_A/N: I'll maybe start working on a sequel... let me know if you think it worth a try._**


	2. Chapter 2: A Year Ago Today

_A/N: So here it is, the second part of that story... until a few days ago I didn't think it would ever become a reality, but I finally decided to give it a try. A huge thanks to Vamp who did an amazing job betaing this, without her, it would probably never have been translate in english. The lyrics in this chapter are from **A year ago today**, by **Delta Goodrem** (which is a very good song, by the way). _

_**Disclaimer:** As always... NCIS isn't mine, neither are the lyrics in this story._

_**Another year older  
A little bit stronger  
A little bit wiser than  
**__**A year ago today**_

**_Looking over my shoulder  
I was so much younger then  
I can't believe what happened  
A year ago today_**

_**And I just can't forget about it  
It wouldn't mean a thing  
You went away  
A year ago today**_

The young man walked toward the white marble statue in front of him, carefully putting down the toddler who was wriggling in his arms.

_In loving memory of  
__Ziva David  
__1976-2008  
__Beloved friend, true love and mother  
__Forever an Angel in our memories_

               Exactly a year ago today, his life had been turned upside down. A year ago today, he lost his soulmate; the one person who made his heart beat. When she was abruptly taken away, a part of him had broken and died with her. He spent the first week in a thick fog that seemed to shield him from the harsh reality surrounding him and numbed his pain. Gradually, he shut the world out. Gibbs had brought him home and took things into his own hands.

                He dropped his eyes on the little girl who was happily toddling towards the white lilies that he just settled below the inscription that he read so many times before. Gibbs, her godfather, had basically raised her during the first two months of her short life, until he had had enough of seeing the young Italian wallowing in despair. At first, he had tried to talk to him, but seeing that it wasn't going anywhere, he took a more extreme measure. One evening, he put the baby in her father's arms, urging him to take responsibility before leaving the house. The young man could remember vividly his panic and confusion when the little bundle in his arm had started crying, asking for the reassuring presence of the older man. He had looked around for the one that had been his life line for the last few weeks, but hadn't found him anywhere. He finally saw the note on the coffee table, giving him some advice and describing his daughter's usual routine. After a few of the longest minutes in his life, the little one had seemed to acknowledge the link existing between her and this man, that, by his own fault, had became a stranger to her, and finally settle down, falling asleep snuggled in his arms.  To his own surprise, he felt calmer than he had in weeks, and was overwhelmed by a feeling that he had thought lost forever, hope. He would learn later that Gibbs and Jenny were watching him from afar all that time, hidden outside the house, honouring their promise to their too early gone friend, to watch over those loved ones she left behind. Since that night, his little princess Ally became his only reason to live. He went back to work and to his almost normal self after that, but only for her, to give her the life that she deserved.

_**Another year gone by  
Oh the tears have run dry  
Life seemed so unkind  
A year ago today**_

_**And I just can't understand it  
And I don't think I ever will  
You went away  
A year ago today**_

_**And I just can't understand it  
And I don't think I ever will  
You went away  
A year ago today**_

The young man stretched out his arm just in time to catch the little girl before she fell, tripping on a bump in the grass. She had made her first steps a little less than a month ago and she was still unsteady on her little feet. That didn't keep her from trying to slip between her father's fingers at every opportunity and he had to admit that she was really a handful, but he wasn't expecting anything different. She was really her mother's daughter; she would have been so proud. At each "first time" he had been overcome by conflicting feelings. He had been so proud when Ally had said her first word: "Dada", but so sad that she wasn't there to share that moment. He had been terrified when his little princess had had that respiratory infection and he had found her burning up with fever in the morning, he would have loved so much having her by his side to tell him that he had done the right thing. He had burst into laughter when she had tried for the first time to eat all by herself, putting tomato sauce all over her face. He would have given anything to hear the crystalline laughter he missed so much; resounding in the room, echoing his. When she crossed the bullpen, wobbling unsteadily on her chubby little leg towards him as he came back from a crime scene, escaping McGee's watch for a moment, he instinctively turned to the desk that was once hers. He had met Gibbs eyes, who had simply put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and spoke those two simple words, words that had made him feel so much better:

"She knows..."

Since that day, he would talk to her daily, telling her about his days at work or their little princesses antics, seeking comfort in those conversation and as strange as it may seem. He felt closer to her than ever since the day of her death. He had talked to her while he had carefully stored everything that had been hers in boxes. He had asked her about tough cases and during sleepless nights spent comforting a wailing child who was teething; he had sung those lullabies he had heard her murmur while caressing her round belly.

**_And how many times have I questioned myself  
What more could I do  
And how many times did I fool myself  
Over you oh? yeah_**

_**You've gotta pick yourself up,  
Take another look  
And dust yourself off cause life's not too good,  
I'll say it to myself and I'll say it again  
Lover will never end**_

_**And though we're so far apart  
You're forever in my heart**_

He kneeled and gently traced gently with the tips of his fingers, the inscription engraved in the stone.

"It's hard you know," he began with a breath, without letting his eyes go of the toddler with brown curls who was fascinated by a butterfly. "She has your eyes. I'll keep going, for her, but I miss you so much, my angel, we all miss you. I love you."

Then he lightly kissed the ring that he had kept preciously in his palm before settling it beside the flowers. That ring, he had bought it a year ago today, with the intention of asking her to join her like to his, but fate decided otherwise. He stood up, wiping away the tears with the back of his hand and carefully picked up his daughter.

"Come on, Princess, Gibbs and the others are waiting for the queen of the day. We won't make them wait, will we?" he said in a tone that he wanted to sound happy.

The little girl's deep brown eyes met her father's and silently, she touched gently one of the shiny wet trails on his cheek. He felt a wave of comfort washed over him and he held his precious daughter tighter against him. Forever, he would have a part of his true love with him. He put a light kiss on the soft curls and turned away from the graveyard, still quiet at this early hour. They had something else to celebrate today.

**_Another year older  
A little bit stronger  
On this anniversary  
You're watching over me_**

_**You went away  
A year ago today**_

_TBC...please, let me know me what you thought of it..._


	3. Chapter 3: A very special birthday

_Disclaimer: NCIS is not mine, You Had a Bad Day isn't either, only little Ally is and I make no money from that story!_

_I'm back... sorry for the long wait. So, here with go with another chapter in the life of little Ally. I have to say a huuuuuuugggge thank you to Jessie who is just awesome and beta this chapter for me. _

_Thanks a lot to all of you that left me a few words to say what you thought of my story, it's really appreciated._

_The song in this chapter is **You Had a Bad Day**, by **Daniel Powters.**_

_So on with the story..._

_**Where is the moment when we need it the most  
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost  
They tell me your blue sky's faded to grey  
They tell me your passion's gone away  
And I don't need no carrying on**_

As soon as she opened her eyes that morning, little Ally jumped eagerly from her bed and headed towards her bedroom window. She pulled lightly on the pale blue curtain decorated with colorful dragonflies and had a quick look outside. She let out a happy squeal seeing the bright sun which was already shining at that early hour. The little girl than ran happily to her father's room. Today was a special day, they had a lot to do, and they couldn't waste any time!

She stopped at the doorstep and poked her head through the slightly ajar door. Her father had his back facing her and was talking quietly to himself. She could hear him speaking softly in a small quivering voice almost like the one she got when she was about to cry. But her daddy never cried, her daddy was the strongest daddy in the whole world.

She heard him talking, but there was nobody in the room. So she listened to what he was saying. "I'm sorry, Zee. I don't know if I can't keep going on like this. If only you knew how hard it is, looking at her every day. I… I tried, but I can't even keep my promise to you anymore… it's just that…you know… She looks so much like you! I never realized how difficult it would be to take care of her."

It was at that moment that the little girl understood to whom he was talking to, and about whom he was talking. She retreated quietly, trying to understand, feeling a big knot forming in her stomach. Then, she flew to her room. She didn't hear her father add quietly, "She's adorable, an awesome little girl. She's my whole life, all I have left. I miss you, Ziva David."

He gently put down the picture he was holding on his bedside table and headed towards his daughter's room. Today was a very special day, today was his little girl's fifth birthday and they had a lot to do.

_**Stand in the line just ahead of the law  
You're faking a smile with the coffee you go  
They tell me your life's been way off line  
You're falling to pieces every time  
And I don't need no carrying on**_

He was surprised when he saw his little girl still in her bed, deeply buried under the covers. In fact, Ally heard her father approaching and she still didn't really know what to do with what she heard him say a little earlier so she hid under her fluffy comforter, seeking a little comfort in front of this sudden uncertainty. Was it possible that her daddy didn't love her as much as before? What was so difficult? What did she do to make her daddy cry? Her dad's soft voice interrupted her thoughts. She felt him gently stroking her hair, telling her that it was time to get up. She pretended to sleep a little while longer but Tony didn't buy it. He smiled and whispered in her ear, "Good morning, Princess. I think I'll have to use other means to wake you up!"

With those words, he started tickling her and the reaction was immediate. The little girl shrieked and started to squirm, trying to evade her father's grasp. She quickly surrendered, emerging from under the covers and nestled in her father's arms, still laughing. She looked at his face and his beaming smile reassured her. She was almost certain that he still loved her.

They stayed huddled together for a while, Tony holding his little princess firmly against his chest. Then he loosened his hug and put the little girl on the ground. He made his way towards her closet. He studied the clothes in front of him for a moment, trying to find something suitable for their plans that day. When his choice was made, he handed the chosen garment to Ally, who looked at it for a few seconds, scrunching her nose, before indignantly starting to protest. "No! No, no, no." She said shaking her head.

" Ally," her Dad warned her with a firm voice.

"No! I won't! It's pink, it's itchy and it's a DRESS daddy!" Stated the little girl lifting her chin resolutely.

"It was a gift from Nikki, she'll be pleased to know that you wore it on your birthday and you'll be real pretty in it!" He added, trying to sell her the idea.

The little girl stared at the offending item of clothing with a disapproving scowl on her face. She stomped the floor with her little foot, crossing her arms on her chest and looked at her father defiantly. "NO!" She repeated forcefully.

Then, her father's reaction surprised the little girl greatly. He should have scolded her, or at least sent her to time out. Maybe even getting a little angry at her, but he didn't. First he looked shocked, with his eyes widely opened, just like the day he bumped into Uncle Gibbs and Aunty Jenny kissing, but something was a little off. Then, Ally recognized that look, that sad look he had when he was talking about her mommy, that look that she didn't like at all because it made her feel all funny inside. It was the reason why she didn't ask about her mommy anymore, but now, his daddy got that look on his face just looking at her. She was really disturbed when he simply told her, "Choose anything you want, Princess; it's your big day after all. I'll go make breakfast."

With those words, Ally watched him leave the room, the knot in her stomach back with full force. She walked to her closet, grabbed a pair of jeans with a delicate embroidery on the back pocket and the bottom of the leg. Then she picked out a purple t-shirt and a little jacket that matched the pants. Her aunt Jenny gave her those clothes during a weekend they spent together a few weeks earlier. Her godmother took her shopping and she remembered what she was taught. A girl should always be pretty, but even pretty clothes must be practical. She should have been happy being able to choose what she wanted to wear and escaping that awful dress, but it didn't feel good at all. She made her daddy sad, and she didn't know how to fix it.

_**Cause you had a bad day  
You're taking one down  
You sing a sad song just to turn it around  
You say you don't know  
You tell me don't lie  
You work at a smile and you go for a ride  
You had a bad day  
The camera don't lie  
You're coming back down and you really don't mind  
You had a bad day  
You had a bad day**_

They arrived at Gibbs' place a little before lunch as planned, after visiting the cemetery like he did every year. They didn't talk about the morning incident again, but the little girl had been abnormally quiet. She left a drawing she made the day before on her mother's grave, and a bunch of wild flowers she had picked up on the way along the little wood on the edge of the cemetery. She whispered a few words to her mother; just like her father had taught her and she went to sit on the grass a little farther away to give her dad some privacy. He kneeled near the marble gravestone for a long time, completely silent. He had placed the white lilies carefully the ground in front of the headstone.

When they reached her godfather's house, almost everybody was already there. Abby almost suffocated her with one of her big hugs, and McGee ruffled her hair and kissed her on the cheek. Bucky warmly greeted her before enveloping her in his arms, and Jenny had tenderly kissed her on the forehead. When she was able to evade them, she saw her godfather standing in the corner of the room. She promptly ran towards him, her usual exuberance back. He lifted her from the ground and squeezed her against him, telling her softly, "Happy birthday, Little Angel!"

Gibbs and Jenny cooked a great meal that everybody really appreciated. When everybody was full, Tony decided it was time for the birthday girl to open her presents. Said little girl skipped with enthusiast towards the living room. A bright smile lit up her face when she saw the gifts sitting in a corner on the room.

McGee walked to the small mountain of brightly colored boxes and grabbed two of them, handing them to the little girl who was practically bouncing in anticipation. Abby, almost as excited as her little friend motioned her to sit beside her in the middle of the room. The exuberant scientist was armed with her pocket camera and decided to catch every moment of the day on it. Ally quickly threw away the wrapping of the first gift and squealed happily when she saw what it was. Her eyes shone with delight as she was closely studying the small children's laptop that was sitting in front of her. She put it down carefully next to her, discarding the rest of the wrapping paper and she started opening the next box, a smaller one. A puzzled look appeared on her face when she saw its contents. She got up and went to Gibbs, whispering quietly her request in his ear. Gibbs took the object she was handing him, looked closely at it for a moment and sent an approving nod towards his agent. "You should go and thank McGee, you know, it's a very precious gift he gave you. Heaven was missing an Angel, that's the title of the book, and you know what? It's a very special story that he wrote just for you."

If the little girl had looked at her godfather a little longer, she would have seen tears clouding his steely blue eyes, as he was remembering the exact moment when he spoke those few words. She quickly went to McGee and hugged him as hard as she could to thank him. "Your mommy would have wanted to tell you this story herself, Ally." He told her softly. "I hope you like it."

The little girl retrieved her spot on the ground and Abby handed her a box wrapped in black paper covered in red sparkles. Ally tore apart the paper and was delighted to discover a bright red t-shirt harboring a smiling skull on the front, and matching earrings. Toni's grumbling wasn't missed by anyone and both girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Then, Ally discovered in the gift bag from Jenny, a new ballet outfit in a soft lavender color tastily decorated with sparkling sequins forming a floral pattern. "Look, Daddy, look! I'll look like a real princess!" She exclaimed, proudly showing him her gift.

Tony smiled softly and agreed, she would certainly look like a princess. The birthday girl was also pleased by the puzzle that Ducky gave her and by the new movies that she got from her dad. She was elated when the latter told her that he found her a piano teacher and that her lessons would begin the following Monday. Finally, the only thing left was a huge box in the corner of the room and Gibbs motioned for her to unwrap it quickly. She didn't have to be told twice and eagerly pulled on the wrapping. Her reaction when she discovered what the paper was covering was heartwarming for everyone in the room. She ran to her dad and grabbed his hand, literally dragging him towards her gift. "Daddy, daddy, did you see? Uncle Gibbs made it just for me! I'll do the bestest drawing now, and paintings. I'll have my own place. Look, there's even the little special holes to put the paint buckets in so they don't fall off and make a mess, like the desk at daycare. I can open it and put all my papers and pen and pencils in it, and there's my own name on it with a ballerina!" She exclaimed, all in one breath, sounding very much like their favorite scientist.

"I see all of that, Princess. It's great, go give Gibbs a kiss to thank him and everybody else too. You're a very lucky little girl you know that?" He said.

"Yes, yes daddy!" She said, scampering towards her godfather.

_**Well you need a blue sky holiday  
The point is they laugh at what you say  
And I don't need no carrying on**_

The rest of the afternoon went smoothly and everybody was in a great mood. Abby convinced everyone to plays some kids' games and they had to admit that it was a lot of fun. The bubbly scientist took memorable pictures of Gibbs, his eyes covered, trying to put the donkey's tail at the right place and lamely failing at it. She captured a few of Madam Director trying to mimic "A Hen on a Wall" and of Tony and McGee, tangled in a heap on the floor with Ally laughing at them during their Twister game. After the games, they shared an excellent chocolate cake, and judging by her icing covered face when she finished eating, Ally enjoyed it very much.

Soon, most guests said their goodbyes until only a few remained. Tony collapsed on a kitchen chair, looking lost in thoughts. Ally was immersed in an activity on her new laptop, and Gibbs who was watching them closely. Tony, after a while, announced that it was time to go for them too, but his little girl didn't want to go just yet. "Daddy, please, can we stay a little longer?" She pleaded.

"Ally, it's time to go now, no arguments please." He responded.

Since her dad didn't really seem moved by her plea, she followed him, huffing a little bit. When he tried to help her carry a bag containing her presents, she scowled at him, put her little fist on her hips and with a determined look on her face and said, "I can do it on my own!"

That's when she saw it, the look of sadness in her father's eyes, it was back again. She took a few steps back, this unpleasant feeling back in the pit of her stomach. She turned sharply on her heels and ran toward the basement door, down the stairs and hid under the upturned boat hull that her godfather was currently working on. She had made her daddy sad again and she didn't mean to!

Upstairs, Gibbs stared at his agent, a questioning look on his face. When said agent failed to answer him, he stated, "Do you have an explanation for what just happened, DiNozzo?"

"Ehhh…I…uhh, I don't know. I…"

"DiNozzo, you look like you've seen a ghost!" Retorted the team leader.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gibbs understood. He understood why Tony had been acting strangely the whole day and why he reacted like that when he faced the little girl's protests. He went on, "DiNozzo, Tony, listen to me. The pain, it never goes away and I know that Ally reminds you of her, but she doesn't mean to! I bet she's confused right now. I'll talk to her; she can spend the night here. Go home, get some sleep, you look like you need it, actually you look like hell! I'll bring her back in the morning, but you'll have to set things right between the two of you. She's five, Tony, and she needs her Daddy, and she needs to know that her Daddy loves her. It normal that she starts asking questions, she's a very bright little girl, but you have to be there to answer those questions, to make sure that she doesn't find the wrong answers."

"I know, Gibbs, I know…I…Thanks boss." The younger man finally replied.

Gibbs watched his agent walk away before heading towards the basement, in search of his distressed goddaughter. _I made you a promise, Ziver, and I'll keep it even if I have to hit DiNozzo so hard on the head that your grandchildren will feel it!_ He thought to himself as he started down the stairs.

_**You had a bad day  
You're taking one down  
You sing a sad song just to turn it around  
You say you don't know  
You tell me don't lie  
You work at a smile and you go for a ride  
You had a bad day  
The camera don't lie  
You're coming back down and you really don't mind  
You had a bad day  
You had a bad day**_

_**TBC...**_

_So was it good, bad... Hit the little blue button and tell me what you think of it! What will Gibbs do, how will Tony make things right... What other events in Ally's life do you want to see...just take a moment and let me know!_


End file.
